Surgical instrument.



D. L. ABER.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

APRLIOATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1911.

1,031,314. Patented July 2, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID L. ABER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed September 26, 1911. Serial No. 651,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. Auriga citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Surgical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to speculums and similar surgical instruments, which are used (blade which will permit the device to be safely and easily introduced into and withdrawn from a cavity or canal when the blades are closed, as well as a blade which may be used in connection with any preferred form of speculum, or with a syringe in such a manner as to entirely surround and inclose the nozzle of the same.

A further object is to provide a device entirely free from cracks, crevices or rough edges which might act to retain foreign .matter and prevent a perfect sterilization syringe having my improved dilating blades .applied thereto, the blades being shown in open position by dotted lines; Fig. 2, a side QlGViltlOIlyOIl an enlarged scale, of the forward or headed end of one of the blades; Fig. 3, an inner face view of the same; Fig. 4, a central longitudinal section of two of the oppositely disposed blades in their closed position; Figs. 5, 6 and 7, cross sections of the same taken on lines ai -S, 6-t3 and 77, respectively of Fig. 4; and Fig. 8, a front elevation of the blades, illustrating the manner in which they fit together.

While my inuproved blades may be used in connection with any form of dilating instrument comprising a plurality of blades and mechanism for operating the same. I have in Fig. 1 shown them in connection with a device such as is shown and dcscribcd in U. S. Letters Patent No. 989,550, issued to me April. 18, 1911, which device comprises four blades each of which consists of a stem like body portion A having its forward end enlarged to form a dilating head 13, to be presently described, and its opposite end 0 extended and curved outwardly to form a handle. The blades are evenlyspaccd around, and pivotally mounted, at a point intermediate their length, upon a supporting member 2, mounted upon a syringe nozzle 23.

The portions C of the blades are provided with inwardly projecting pivotal arms 4-, the inner ends of which are pivoted to a ring slidably mounted upon the inwardly projccting portion (3 0t nozzle -3, and a spiral spring 7, interposed between members 2 and 5 serves to hold them normally apart with the heads B of the blades closely together in position to be inserted. A slight pressure upon the rear ends of two of the oppositely disposed blades will cause all of the blades to open simultaneously, as shown in dotted lines, and when the pressure is removed the reflex action of spring 7 will instantly bring the blades together again, as shown in full lines.

To permit the blades to be freely inserted, into a cavity and opened and. closed therein without danger of pinching the delicate tissues between the meeting surfaces of the blades; each of the heads 15 is approximalcly pear shaped at the point of its greatest eross-scctimml area, nilh the tu icring sides slightly bulged out for a'porlion of their length adjacent the inner rounded edge 1), to form meeting surfaces '1' as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and (3. Edge 1) extends in a straight line approximalcly the length of the head and is curved outwardly at its forward end and gradually merges into the broad peri]')he1'al l'acc F, to form a blunt nose t}. The pcriphcr and tapering sides 01 head B, continue backward in gradually converging lines to meet stem A, while the inner or straight edge I) is 'llarcd gut abruptly at its rear end to meet said stem as shown at H.-

From the foregoing it will be seen tha; when a number of the blades are closed together the heads B will form an approximate ball of a greater diameter than the diameter of the circumference of all of the stems A, as in Fig. 7 which willpermit the instrument to be easily introduced into and withdrawn from a cavity, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and by reason of off set H the stems A will be spaced su'fiiciently apart to permit them to be used in connection with the nozzle of a spraying device.

It is characteristic of my do -ce that the heads B, when closed, do not come into contact with each other except at a point well within their periphery adjacent inner edge 1), to wit surface E, with the oppositely disposed heads spaced apart and each head resting against and supported by the two I heads next adjacent in a manner to hold them firmly together and in line with each' other, while the open spaces between. the adj acent heads and inner edges D will permit the instrument to be inserted or withdrawn and opened or closed within a cavity without pinching or injuring in any way the delicate tissue forming its interior surface.

I claim: g

1. A surgical instrument comprising a plurality of blades provided with heads approximately pear shaped in'cross section and tapering to a point at one end, said heads being adapted to meet together, with the oppositely disposed heads spaced apart and each head in contact with the two next adjacent heads for a portion of its length within its periphery adjacent its inner edge and means connecting the blades to cause them to operate simultaneously.

2. A blade for surgical instruments com prising a stem like body portion provided with an enlarged head, said head being approximately pear shaped at the point of its greatest cross sectional area with thetapering sides bulged for a portion of their length adjacent the inner edge to form meeting surfaces, said inner edge being ofi' set at one end from the stem and continuing in a straight line approximately the length of the head with its opposite end curved outwardly to meet the peripheral surface of the head, and form a rounded nose.

3. A blade for surgical instruments comprising a stem-like body portion provided with an enlarged head, said head being approximately pear-shaped in cross section with the tapering sides thereof bulged for a portion of their length adjacent the inner edge to form meeting surfaces, said inner edge having one end curved outwardly to meet the peripheral surface of the head to form a rounded nose and its opposite end flared outwardly to meet the stem.

In testimony whereof, I afiix iny jsigna ture in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID L. ABER.

l/Vitnesses F. E. GAITHER, STELLA. R. Bertram, 

